Infant&#39;s walker and bouncer



Aug. 25, 1964 B. K. BURNHAM 3,145,999

INFANTS WALKER AND BOUNCER Filed Dec. 11, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 302702;a '77, KBZOVZW 5, 1964 B. K. BURNHAM INFANTS WALKER AND BOUNCER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1963 United States Patent 3,145,999 INFANTS WALKER AND BOUNCER Benjamin K. Burnharn, Gardner, Mass., assignor toThayer, Inc., Gardner, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Dec.11, 1963, Ser. No. 329,833 4 Claims. (Cl. 28036) This invention relatesto a new and improved infants exercising device in the nature of abouncer and walker, the general features of which are well known in theart. The principal object of the present invention resides in theprovision of greatly improved means for folding the device, particularlywith reference to a backrest which is foldable relative to a main frame.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of new andimproved means for folding the device as above stated, said meansincluding a past dead center arrangement of interpivoted parts which areso arranged that tension is imposed upon the same tending to hold themin extended condition, but at the same time making it easy for theoperator to merely push forwardly as for instance on the backrest andforce the parts to the other side of the dead center enabling thebackrest to be quickly and easily folded without the use of any latchesor catches in the construction. A further object of the inventionresides in the combination of parts described above with adjusting meansfor the backrest so that in spite of the fact that a past dead centerconstruction is provided which includes the backrest as a part,nevertheless the backrest may be adjustably arranged at various anglesof inclination relative to the frame for the convenience of the occupantand including a horizontal position so that the infant may lie on hisback in the device, or alternatively the back rest may be set in ageneral upright condition where the infant can use the device for a seator for walking while contained within the frame of the device in theusual manner of baby walkers.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a pastdead center means holding the device in extended condition for use andincluding means applying spring tension to the past dead center linkagesholding the same in extended condition, but still allowing quick andeasy folding against the action of the spring tension, past the deadcenter into a position where the spring action is released, with theparts folded.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation showing the device in extendedcondition for use and with the backrest upright, parts being broken awayfor clarity of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a similar view but showing the device substantially folded;

FIG. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a modification.

In illustrating the invention, it will be seen that the main frame ofthe device comprises a horizontal, openended, U-shaped frame including apair of side runs and 12 which are spaced and parallel forming the armsof the U. These arms at their free ends 14 at the rear of thebouncer-walker, extend upwardly and terminate, being provided withprotective caps or the like 16 if desired. At the closed forward end ofthe U, the runs 10 and 12 also extend upwardly as at 18 and are joinedby a cross member 20 which forms the closed end of the U. The members10, 12, 14, 18 and 20 can all be made of a single bent member such astubular steel or the like and at the bent portions of the legs 10 and 12indicated at 22, 22 relatively soft annular bumpers may be provided asindicated at 24.

Detachable casters 26 can be utilized mounted adjacent the ends of theside run members 10 and 12 for use of the device as a walker, but whenit is desired to be used as a bouncer, these casters are easily removedand the bumpers 24 can be repositioned at approximately the points ofattachment of the casters to provide friction and non-marring devicesfor the bouncer.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the vertically extending portions of the runs10 and 12 as at 14- and 18 are provided with apertures 28, 28, andanother pair of vertically spaced apertures obscured by the fasteners30, 30 are also provided. To these fasteners are attached coil springs32, 34, it being understood of course that there are four of these coilsprings, one adjacent each corner of the device, springs 32 at the frontend 34 at the rear. Fasteners 30 may be inserted in holes 28 to raisethe seat.

The forward coil springs 32 are provided with end hooks for attachmentto bolts or rivets 36 at the forward ends of a pair of forward scissormembers which are indicated at 38, 38. These scissor members extend tothe rear and generally upwardly in FIG. 1, but are substantiallyhorizontal as shown in FIG. 2. Intermediate the ends thereof they areinterpivoted at 40 with relation to crossing, rear scissor members 42,42 which extend upwardly from the rear springs 34, being interconnectedthereto as at 44. This forms a pair of spaced but generally parallelextendible scissor members one at each side of the device. Supported atthe forward ends of the rear scissor members 42 as at 46 there is anopen frame or the like 48 which forms an enclosure for the infant andalso a support for a forward tray as is usual. The frame 48 is ingeneral U-shape and is open at its rear end as at 50 in FIG. 1, allowingaccess for the occupant of the frame to the backrest member 52. Anappropriate flexible seat support member 54 is provided and this isshown in dotted lines so as not to interfere with the description of themain parts of the frame comprising the invention.

At the rear or open end of each leg of the frame 48 there is provided astop member 54 which comprises a lateral flange on a plate 56 attachedto the legs of frame 48. Each plate 56 extends downwardly at its rearend as at 58 and pivotally mounts at 60 a lever in the form of a bellcrank which has an arm 62 and another arm 64. The arms 64 aresubstantially vertical as shown in FIG. 1 and substantially horizontalas shown in FIG. 2.

The forward end of each arm 62 is interpivoted as at 66 with respect tothe rear end of the respective rearwardly extending scissor member 38,it being understood that members 38 are not directly connected withrespect to the frame 48. The brackrest 52 is interpivoted with respectto adjustment plates 68 on arms 64, these plates being provided withnotches as at 70 for positioning lugs 72 at the lower end of thebackrest member 52 to hold the latter either upright as shown in solidlines in FIG. 1 or substantially horizontal as shown in dotted lines. Ofcourse other slots may be provided to hold the backrest member at anydesired inclination. The arms 64 of the bell cranks are interconnectedat their lower ends by a cross brace 74, and lugs 76 operate in slots 78to cooperate with lugs 72 and slots 76 to hold the backrest in desiredposition relative to arms 64. It is to be understood of course that thelinkages shown in FIG. 1 are duplicated at the opposite side of thedevice.

With the parts extended for operation as shown in FIG. 1, it will beseen that the springs 32, 34 are tensioned and tend to cause theconnected end of member 33 and arm 62 to bear on the stop 54, whichlimits this action. A line between pivot point 40 and pivot point 60lies well below the pivot point 66 in FIG. 1 and therefore it is seenthat the springs, actually hold the parts in the extended condition.With an occupant, this action is made even surer because of the weightimposed on the seat 54 and the infants pressure on the backrest 52.

In order to fold the device it is merely necessary to push forwardly onthe backrest 52 at its top. This stretches the springs 32, 34 a littlefurther and causes the bell crank to move in the same direction, untilthe pivot point at 60 rises relatively above the line between pivotpoints 4% and 66. Continued motion on the backrest in a counterclockwisedirection causes lever arm 64 to continue to move in a counterclockwisedirection and this causes arms 62, 62 to move likewise, bringing pivotpoint 66 downwardly as shown by the arrow 80 in FIG. 1. When this actionis continued to its limit, the parts will appear as in FIG. 2, and thesprings are free of any tension imposed thereon.

As shown in FIG. 4 it is possible to use rigid shackles in place of thesprings 32. In FIG. 4 the parts are numbered the same for clarity ofillustration as they are in FIG. 1 except that the springs 32 and 34 nowhave substituted for them rigid links 82 and 84 which however arepivoted at their ends for instance at 86 to the respective uprightportions 14 and 18 of the under frame, and also to the ends of thescissor members 33 and 42 at 83. In this case the spring tension isderived from a slight inward motion from the upright ends 14 and 18 asshown in dotted lines at as rather than from the coil springs 32 and 34,but otherwise the action is the same. The coil spring construction ofFIG. 1 is the preferred embodiment of the invention as the embodiment inFIG. 4 is a little harder to operate.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

l. A walker-bouncer for infants comprising a lower frame including apair of spaced parallel side members, an upper frame including a pair ofspaced parallel side members, said members all extending fore-and-aft ofthe Walker-bouncer, and upturned end portions on the lower framemembers, two pairs of spaced parallel crossed scissor members, each pairof scissor members eing interpivotcd intermediate the respective endsthereof, corresponding ends of said scissor m mbers being mounted on theupturned ends of said under frame,

one scissor member of each pair pivotally mounting the upper framemembers at the forward ends thereof, the other scissor member of eachpair extending in a direction toward the rear ends of said upper framemembers and terminating in an upper end unconnected with respect to theupper frame members,

a pair of bell-crank levers pivoted intermediate their ends at each sideof said upper frame adjacent the rear end thereof, each lever beingpivoted at one end to the upper end of said other scissor frame memberthat is unconnected to the upper frame members,

a backrest member mounted on the levers adjacent the ends thereof remotefrom the scissor frame members, and being movable with the levers, saidbackrest member being adapted to cause pivotal motion of said leverscausing the pivot axis between the levers and the said other scissorframe members to be moved selectively from one side to the other of aline connecting the interpivoted axis of the scissor members to thepivot axis of said levers on the upper frame, in one position holdingthe scissor members extended and the upper frame elevated from the lowerframe, but when moved to the other side of the said line providingfolding of the scissor members and close approach of the frames, andmeans limiting the extent of motion of said levers in a direction tohold the scissor members extended.

2. The device of claim 1 including spring means on the lower framesupporting the scissor members, said spring means being tensioned by thescissor members in extended condition of the latter.

3. The device of claim 1 including coil springs on the lower framesupporting the scissor members, said spring means being tensioned by thescissor members in extended condition of the latter.

4. The device of claim 1 including spring means supporting the scissormembers, said spring means being tensioned by the scissor members inextended condition of the latter, said spring means comprising theupturned end portions of the under frame.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,244,155 Hendrickson et al. June 3, 1941 2,278,582 Peldman Apr. 7, 19422,287,315 Kroll et al June 23, 1942 2,471,004 Moster May 24, 1949

1. A WALKER-BOUNCER FOR INFANTS COMPRISING A LOWER FRAME INCLUDING APAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL SIDE MEMBERS, AN UPPER FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OFSPACED PARALLEL SIDE MEMBERS, SAID MEMBERS ALL EXTENDING FORE-AND-AFT OFTHE WALKER-BOUNCER, AND UPTURNED END PORTIONS ON THE LOWER FRAMEMEMBERS, TWO PAIRS OF SPACED PARALLEL CROSSED SCISSOR MEMBERS EACH PAIROF SCISSOR MEMBERS BEING INTERPIVOTED INTERMEDIATE THE RESPECTIVE ENDSTHEREOF, CORRESPONDING ENDS OF SAID SCISSOR MEMBERS BEING MOUNTED ON THEUPTURNED ENDS OF SAID UNDER FRAME, ONE SCISSOR MEMBER OF EACH PAIRPIVOTALLY MOUNTING THE UPPER FRAME MEMBERS AT THE FORWARD ENDS THEREOF,THE OTHER SCISSOR MEMBER OF EACH PAIR EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION TOWARDTHE REAR ENDS OF SAID UPPER FRAME MEMBERS AND TERMINATING IN AN UPPEREND UNCONNECTED WITH RESPECT TO THE UPPER FRAME MEMBERS, A PAIR OFBELL-CRANK LEVERS PIVOTED INTERMEDIATE THEIR ENDS AT EACH SIDE OF SAIDUPPER FRAME ADJACENT THE REAR END THEREOF, EACH LEVER BEING PIVOTED ATONE END TO THE UPPER END OF SAID OTHER SCISSOR FRAME MEMBER THAT ISUNCONNECTED TO THE UPPER FRAME MEMBERS, A BACKREST MEMBER MOUNTED ON THELEVERS ADJACENT THE ENDS THEREOF REMOTE FROM THE SCISSOR FRAME MEMBER,AND BEING MOVABLE WITH THE LEVERS, SAID BACKREST MEMBER BEING ADAPTED TOCAUSE PIVOTAL MOTION OF SAID LEVERS CAUSING THE PIVOT AXIS BETWEEN THELEVERS AND THE SAID OTHER SCISSOR FRAME MEMBERS TO BE MOVED SELECTIVELYFROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER OF A LINE CONNECTING THE INTERPIVOTED AXIS OFTHE SCISSOR MEMBERS TO THE PIVOT AXIS OF SAID LEVERS ON THE UPPER FRAME,IN ONE POSITION HOLDING THE SCISSOR MEMBERS EXTENDED AND THE UPPER FRAMEELEVATED FROM THE LOWER FRAME, BUT WHEN MOVED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THESAID LINE PROVIDING FOLDING OF THE SCISSOR MEMBERS AND CLOSE APPROACH OFTHE FRAMES, AND MEANS LIMITING THE EXTENT OF MOTION OF SAID LEVERS IN ADIRECTION TO HOLD THE SCISSOR MEMBERS EXTENDED.